Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party (AD) has proposed the creation of a fund to aid victims of crime, financed from fines collected from convicted criminals.

Party chairperson Harry Vassallo said “where practicable and with the consent of victims, sentences of community work aimed at making amends to the victims should be awarded instead of terms of imprisonment.”

Dr Vassallo said “while it may be necessary to maintain the possibility of imposing long terms of imprisonment as a general deterrent, it is clear that imprisonment of itself has no positive effect with regards to victims of crime and alone does not rehabilitate criminals.”

He said: “It is a disgrace that little or no notice is taken by the law in criminal matters with regard to the victims of crime beyond imposing punishment on those found guilty.

The long-lasting psychological trauma such as that suffered by the elderly victims of robberies or the victims of burglary who no longer feel safe in their homes or in the street is completely ignored.”

Dr Vassallo said that “the establishment of a fund for victims of crime may make it possible for victims to receive assistance when it is needed and they need not be made to wait for a judgement following a prosecution or worse still, to institute civil proceedings for damages years after the fact. The courts can also be given the option to award part of the penalty imposed to the victims. Victims of crime who do not require assistance may have the option whether or not to pass on any such award to charity.”

Dr Vassallo also underscored the need to fully develop the mechanisms necessary to allow magistrates and judges to sentence those found guilty to terms of community work.

“Imprisonment is a heavy financial burden on taxpayers enforcing idleness on prisoners and more often confirming antisocial tendencies and certainly not rehabilitating them,” said Dr Vassallo.